Distractions
by vip-enix
Summary: Deathly Hallows Part 2 Movie Missing Moment. What Hermione and Ron were doing before Harry found them holding hands in the Great Hall.


**Author's Note: This is a moment between Harry arriving in the Great Hall, and when Ron and Hermione walk in... for the story, it will take more time then it would in the movie, chronologically.  
**

The sun was rising for the first time after the Battle of Hogwarts. A new day had begun.

Hermione Granger walked slowly through the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The once beautiful room that she had been in for much of her time at Hogwarts was now in ruins. The large window behind where the Professors Table was located was bare of its decorative panes of glass. A couple of the House Tables were set up on either side of the Great Hall, but nobody questioned where to sit. Students of every house comforted each other. Professors and adults were assisting the injured, and moving the dead to one side of the Hall with deep respect.

Hermione looked around for her friends and loved ones, but could not find the person she loved the most. Ron Weasley was not sitting with his family. He was not over with George, mourning the loss of their brother. Hermione felt tears in her eyes as she wondered where he was.

She tried to remember when she had seen him last. She remembered him holding her in his arms, as they cried together, shortly after Neville Longbottom had rescued them from the snake, Nagini, killing her with the Sword of Gryffindor. She remembered standing up from the rubble, taking her eyes away from Ron briefly as she watched Harry Potter walk back towards the castle, after having defeated Lord Voldemort, the most evil Dark wizard of all time.

When she turned back around, Ron had not been sitting in the rubble anymore. He was not standing near her, watching their best friend walking into the castle. She went back inside the castle, wondering if Ron had gone after Harry, but she could not see him in the Great Hall. Harry was walking along the Great Hall, as students, adults and Professors alike talked to him one at a time.

_Where was Ron? Where was the boy, no, man she loved the most? Had he run into one of the retreating Death Eaters and...?  
_

Hermione shook her head.

_No... that was not possible. _

"Hermione?" a quiet voice asked.

Hermione turned, hoping, but it was not a male voice she had heard. It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister.

"We won," Ginny said, smiling.

Hermione nodded, wiping a tear from her eye.

"I'm so sorry about Fred," she said.

"Me too," Ginny said, looking over her shoulder at George, "I don't know what to say to him?"

Ron's mother, Molly, walked up to Hermione and Ginny, a desperate look in her eyes.

"Hermione?" she said, "Have you seen Ronald?"

"Not for a few minutes, Mrs. Weasley" Hermione said, trying so hard to make her voice still.

"I-I-I can't find him," Mrs. Weasley said, tears forming in her eyes, "I-I called his name, but h-he's not answering."

"Mum, I'm sure he's fine," Ginny said.

"I'll go find him," Hermione said. "I might know where he could be."

Mrs. Weasley nodded.

"Come on, Mum," Ginny said, "We'll wait for him over with the boys. He might come and find us."

Mrs. Weasley nodded again, and Ginny put her arm around her mother.

"Find him," Ginny mouthed to Hermione, as she walked back to the other Weasleys.

Hermione nodded, turned around on her heels and walked out of the castle. She was telling the truth when she said she knew where Ron might have been. It was her favorite spot to go with him and Harry when on the grounds of Hogwarts.

The fifteen minute journey to her destination seemed to take longer than usual. She was looking around at the damage of the castle. Burning debris, shards of glass, and wood seemed to cover the grounds. One of the bridges was completely destroyed. She had to carefully cross the bridge going to Hagrid's hut because it was damaged at places.

Hermione felt tears in her eyes as she looked down the hill at Hagrid's hut. It was in ruins. She knew Hagrid was captured by the Death Eaters for a while during the battle, and she knew that he must have been captured as he was fighting for his house. She was thankful that Hagrid was okay.

Hagrid's boarhound, Fang, was sitting in the center of the circle of large rocks.

"Hey, boy!" Hermione said, "I'm glad you are okay. Are you looking for Hagrid?"

Fang gave a booming bark.

"He's in the Great Hall," Hermione said. "I'm sure he's worried about you. Go find him."

Fang barked again and ran across the bridge. Hermione walked toward the Whomping Willow, which was perfectly still. She could tell from the burned branches and bark that it had been severely injured. It wasn't even trying to hit her as she walked by it, and down the hill. She headed through the forest, toward the lake.

After he had rescued Sirius from the dementors back in their third year, Harry had visited the lake many times, and Hermione and Ron had come with him during some of those trips. Not many people visited this location. It was blocked by a small portion of the Forbidden Forest, and only Hermione, Ron and Harry had only come through here at times. She knew this would be where Ron would go.

As she walked through the edge of the forest, toward the lake, she finally found him. Ron picked up a stone and skimmed it across the water. Hermione could hear sobs coming from Ron's voice. She watched him as he skimmed another rock across the water. He threw another one, but this time it didn't even skip once across the water. He picked up a handful of rocks and threw them into the water, then sank to the ground. Hermione wiped tears from her eyes, as she watched Ron bury his head between his knees. As she walked up to him, she could hear muffled sobbing.

Hermione walked slowly toward him and sat down beside him. He must have not seen or heard her, because he had not raised his head up.

"Ron?" Hermione whispered.

Ron raised his head up slowly and looked at Hermione. He wiped his arm across his nose noisily.

"How long have you been there?" he asked.

"About three rock-skims and one large splash ago," Hermione said, smiling weakly.

"He's gone, Hermione," Ron said.

Hermione knew he wasn't talking about Voldemort.

"I couldn't do anything about it," Ron said. "And now he's gone. Fr-Fr-..."

He picked up a rock beside him and threw it into the lake. It hit with a large splash.

"I know, Ron," Hermione said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Can I do anything?"

Ron muttered something, but Hermione couldn't hear it.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Distract me," Ron said. "I don't want to think about... about him right now. Distract me! Please!"

"I-I-I don't know how," Hermione said, "Tell me what to say."

"Tell me..." Ron said, "Tell me what happened in the Chamber of Secrets last night."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Why did you kiss me?" Ron asked.

"You kissed me too," Hermione said.

"I want you to tell me why," Ron said. "Please."

"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione asked. "I-I-I..."

"You what?" Ron asked, "Tell me..."

More tears fell from Hermione's eyes as she looked at Ron. She had been wanting to say the words for the longest time.

"Because I..." Hermione said, slowly.

She sighed and quickly leaned over to Ron. She grabbed his face with both her hands and kissed him deeply on the lips. Ron put his hands around her and returned the kiss. She kissed him much longer than she did down in the Chamber of Secrets. When she backed away, she could see tears streaming down his cheeks, and could feel many tears on her own face.

"Because I love you, Ron," she said.

"Since when?" Ron asked.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"You heard me," Ron said.

"I don't know," Hermione said, "I've loved you for a long time. Even before you realized I was a girl."

"I've always known you were a girl," Ron said.

"You didn't seem to think so during fourth year," Hermione said.

Ron sniffed and looked toward the lake.

"Why did you dance with Viktor Krum?" Ron asked.

"Because he asked me," Hermione said.

"I don't mean during the Yule Ball," Ron said, shaking his head.

Hermione closed her eyes. She knew what he meant now.

"Why didn't you dance with me during Bill's wedding?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said.

"I think you do," Ron said.

"Okay, I do," Hermione said, looking back at Ron, "Because I wanted to tell you that night how I felt about you. And I couldn't."

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Because we had to help Harry hunt the Horcruxes," Hermione said, "You know this."

"Of course... Harry," Ron said, his eyes going back to the lake.

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked.

"Never mind," Ron said.

"Is this about that night in the forest?" Hermione asked.

Ron looked at her, and she could see the truth in his eyes.

"I told you," Hermione said, "It was nothing. He wasn't commenting on my perfume, he was telling me not to wear any. That Snatcher, Scabior, smelled my perfume and we were almost caught that night. I don't love Harry, Ron. You should know this. I only love you."

"I'm a bloody git, I guess," Ron said.

"No you're not," Hermione said.

"Yes, I am," Ron said.

"Why do you think so?" Hermione asked.

"Because I still haven't said it," Ron said, then looked at Hermione, into her eyes. "I love you too, Hermione. I have for the longest time. As long as I can remember."

Hermione smiled and brushed the tears from her eyes.

"I knew that already, Ron," Hermione said.

"When I kissed you?" Ron asked.

"Long before that," Hermione said, shaking her head.

"Since when?" Ron asked.

"Do you remember in our sixth year," Hermione asked, "The day we talked in the Great Hall after you woke up from being poisoned?"

"Er... yeah," Ron said.

"You were going to tell me something," Hermione said, "But you couldn't. What was it?"

"I..." Ron said, "Oh, bloody hell, Hermione. It's hard to say."

"You can tell me," Hermione said.

Hermione took her hand in his. He looked at it, then looked back at her.

"While I was unconscious," Ron said, "I was having nightmares. Horrible, terrible nightmares. And then there was one moment... when I thought I heard you talking. And... I called out your name, looking for you."

Hermione grinned.

"What?" Ron asked.

"I know you called out my name," Hermione said.

"You... do?" Ron asked.

"I was sitting in the Hospital Wing," Hermione said, "Right by your bed. Ginny and Harry and some of the teachers were there. And Lavender too. And then... all of a sudden you muttered my name. And..."

Hermione chuckled and grinned at the thought.

"And Lavender ran off out of the Hospital Wing," she finished.

"That's what you meant when you said I was talking in my sleep?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Ron," Hermione said, "You said my name... and I knew you loved me then."

"Why didn't you tell me back then?" Ron asked, "Why did you wait until today?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, "Because I'm bloody stupid?"

"No, you're not," Ron said. "You are the most... perfect girl I've ever known."

"Ron," Hermione said, shaking her head, "I'm not per-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Ron's lips were back on hers.

"I never want to hear those words come from your lips ever again," Ron said, looking at her.

Hermione smiled at him, and brushed the tears from her eyes.

"We need to go back to the castle," Hermione said. "Your mother's looking for you. She's distraught because she can't find you."

"Thank you for finding me," Ron said, "That's the third time you found me now."

"Third?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Ron said, "Today, for one. Then when you said my name in my dream, and rescued me from my nightmares. And finally when you called out my name and I heard it in the Deluminator."

Hermione smiled. Ron stood up, and offered her his hand. She took it and stood up, and they took the long journey back to the castle. When they walked back into the Great Hall, they were still hand in hand. Harry walked up to them, and he was smiling. Hermione looked at Ron's hand then back to Harry.

_Yes, Harry_, Hermione thought, _Finally_.

-  
**Aaah, this made me cry. I totally didn't expect to write anything in this that would make me cry, and I teared up so much while writing it.**

I hope you liked it! When I think of more One-Shots, I'll add them!


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